Cycling Accessories Gift Guide

Dec 15, 2011

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Blackburn Flea 2.0 Bike Lights

Make safety a priority on your morning and evening commutes, or on dark trips to the corner store. The Flea series of lights are small but powerfully bright. They attach easily to your handlebars, seatpost, helmet, or pack, and recharge via USB or a solar powered charger (both chargers are included) for those days when you're off the grid. The lights have multiple settings and an LED battery indicator to make sure you don’t get left in the dark.

Need to compartmentalize your life? The lightweight Flap Jill Courier has enough pockets for all your random loot, reading material, and a change for the gym, plus a separate, padded laptop sleeve to keep your hardware separate from your software. The shoulder strap sits snuggly across your front and a very smart waist strap gives you the option to really lock it in place for longer rides or walks. Three different strap colors come standard to change up this bag’s look and style depending on mood, season, or outfit.

If it’s all cycling, all the time for your favorite two-wheeled enthusiast, add Chrome’s Rook (right) or Bishop (left) wallet to his or her holiday gift list. These are cash carriers with benefits. The zip-close Bishop is made of denier nylon and tarpaulin, and has a built-in bottle opener and a change pocket. The more traditional Rook uses a weatherproof truck tarp liner material that holds money and credit cards tight. Both hold subtle style touches and sport the Chrome logo.

You’ll find a lot of KEOs on bikes in the Bicycling magazine storage room. The pedal offerings from the French manufacturer are on par with the best in the business from Shimano and Speedplay. The Max 2 is a variation on Look’s Classic Keo pedal with additional pedal-cleat contact surface area for more power transfer without extra weight. New to clipless? Keo’s have always been first-time clipless user friendly with a wide range of spring-loaded tension settings and three cleat options for varying degrees of float.

Nothing fancy here, right? A duffle bag with wheels and one of those pull-out handles. Ah, but sometimes it’s the simple things in life. DK’s take on this cargo-carrying classic is a nice addition to the company’s established line of luggage for people who do stuff. The wheeled duffle slings over your shoulder for a quick dash to the car, or rolls right behind you on long trips through the airport. Two zippered end pockets provide storage for easy-to-access stuff and the nylon-lined main compartment is durable and spacious enough for a variety of hauls.

The V2 is the latest version of Smith's popular Pivlock line of interchangeable lens sunglasses. The V2 adds new frame colors, slide-on temple ends, and a three-position adjustable nosepiece for a custom fit. Plus, it comes with three lenses for lighter and darker conditions. This sport-driven spec is a favorite of cyclists, runners, and triathletes. The frameless design keeps your field of vision completely clear and makes the Pivlock ultra-lightweight. The V2 is also available in a “Max” option for more coverage and athletes with larger faces.

When a high-tech company like Garmin announces its latest watch for uber-obsessive multi-sport athletes is "our most feature-packed GPS watch yet," look out. This ticker measures metrics like heart rate, distance, pace, cadence, stroke count, and elevation on the bike, on the run, or in the water. The watch wirelessly uploads all your training data to your PC or Mac post-workout. Data and route information can be analyzed with insane precision on the company's GarminConnect platform, or via other online coaching tools. This watch on a budget: Try the less expensive Garmin 210. It offers many of the functions of the 910 for competitors and athletes who still want to enjoy mileage totals, heart rate info, and maps of where they’ve been.

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